"Odin, we have no idea what will happen or what has already happened to him! I can't just sit here and do nothing, hoping that my son will somehow magically appear safe in my arms again."
The king didn't miss the crack in his wife's desperate voice mixing with the tremor that gave away her pure fear of the situation. Their youngest son, and second prince of Asgard, hadn't been seen by any eyes in the last two weeks. Actions weren't taken until after the first week under assumptions that the boy was shrouded away in his chambers.
On the eighth day, two of the guards assigned to the second price walked into the throne room and informed the king of the uneaten food left from the previous days.
That's when people finally noticed there was no second prince. Within the palace walls, preparations were made for a search, but amongst the city, rumors began to spread that the weak son had finally run away.
"Frigga, calm yourself!" Odin insisted. "I am doing everything I can get him home! We know from Heimdall that the men who have taken him plan to use him for leverage. He is still within the realm, but for some reason is shrouded from Heimdall's view."
"Exactly! How do we even know that he still lives? If Heimdall cannot see him, then that can only mean that these men possess strong enough magic to conduct such a spell. For all we know, those men could have killed him and are lying to us right now because they know we will believe them because it is what we want to believe."
Frigga was right, but Odin found that he couldn't admit it. There was no way to know if Loki still lived or not. The king had only been the father of his youngest son for just over a century, but the relationship already seemed to have failed.
Would it at all affect the boy's thoughts towards his father if the situation wasn't presumed very important?
"Odin?" Frigga's voice broke the king from his thoughts to see his wife looking at him longingly. "Do you not care? You told me that Loki was your family, and that you had forgotten everything about that absurd plan of yours. Did you lie to me?" Tears rolled down the queen's face, her words barely audible from the loud sobs ripping from her throat.
Seconds passed in silence with the couple staring at each other, exchanging disbelieving gazes.
"Frigga," Odin started, "I have done many things in my life that I regret. I've said many hurtful things, but I am no liar. You are correct that my initial plans for Loki were absurd, coming only from the state of mind that I had after such a large victory. I love both of our sons, and will always care."
The queen's heart warmed at the sincerity in her husband's voice. She knew that Odin still cared for Loki, but the amount of love shown, not only to her son but to herself, had been growing scarce.
Frigga smiled sadly at her husband in silent apology. "Please just get my son back to me."
Odin reached out to cup the side of her face. "Do not fret, Frigga. I will return our son to us."
Frigga smiled, grabbing the hand on her face, pressing its warmth against her cheek.
Releasing his wife, the king turned to exit the room. Odin was almost out of the door when he heard a small voice call out to him.
"Will you be ready?" Frigga asked in a weak whisper.
"For what?"
"When we get Loki back, he will need us more than ever. Odin, he will need his family - me, you, and his brother."
The queen's voice no longer carried the dark worry, but now a commanding tone as if she wanted the king to understand he could not act like himself when everything was corrected.
"Are we not always here?"
Frigga shook her head. "You can't push him away anymore like you do. Loki already thinks you hate him and love Thor more. If you truly love our son, then you will listen to him when he talks and notice his presence. No matter what has occurred this last week, Loki is going to be different for a while, more vulnerable, and it's up to us as his parents to get him through it. If we fail, Odin, I can't bear to lose the very child I swore to protect as my own."
Frigga's voice softened as she ended. She had become so desperate, but she still understood the gravity of the situation. There was not one thing that was the problem, but a web of them that was being strung more intricately every passing moment.
Odin remained silent, only staring at his wife in concentration. Was it not the boy's fault for staying as weak as he was? Out of all the children in Asgard, Loki was the only one who veered away from the customs and expectations of society. It was not against the king or any parent to discipline his child for better interest of his well-being. Loki was different and strange, and different was never good.
Without a response, Odin spun on his heels and made his way out the room, leaving Frigga alone.
The king did not understand how his wife could be so blinded and shrouded from the bad path their son seemed to be on. One son was social, strong, likable. That was how it was, and how it needed to be.
The Allfather simply did not understand.
Author's Note: Thank you all! I am brand new so it may take me a while to adjust, so bear with me. Just a little feedback for you, I promise to explain everything that is going on. As of now, the story takes place in the past, so we have no yet gotten to the main plot line/event. I hope to get new chapters out as fast as I can, but if at all it takes me a while, I promise I won't forget you ;-) Thank you so much!
Disclaimer: I don't own any these characters, unless a personal original character of my creating. Marvel has every right to all names and places taken from their sources.
